News & Information > News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 5, 2013
  CONTACT: Melanie Mowry Etters
Communication Director
850-414-7551

APD Advocate is Governor’s Guest at State of the State

TALLAHASSEE—Today, Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) advocate Betty Kay Clements served as a guest of Governor Rick Scott for the State of the State address. The honor was provided to Clements, who is a parent of a child with disabilities and a longtime disabilities advocate, by a special invitation from Governor Scott. During his address today, Governor Scott highlighted his Florida Families First budget proposal for APD, including $36 million to serve people on the APD waiver waiting list.

Betty Kay Clements of Lady Lake is the mother of Laura Lynn, a 51 year old individual with an Intellectual Disability who receives services from APD. Clements has been extremely active in the Family Care Council for many years advocating for people with developmental disabilities. She is a past chairperson and current secretary of both Area 13 Family Care Council and the Statewide Family Care Council Florida. Family Care Council members advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families

Clements said, “Speaking for my daughter, who has a developmental disability, and as a member of Florida’s Family Care Councils, we sincerely thank Governor Scott for addressing the needs and issues of those individuals and their families who have been waiting so long for Medicaid waiver services. The budget proposal will provide many with needed services to live and work in their communities. This will have a positive impact on their lives and their families, and assists them in making a significant contribution to their communities. We are hopeful that Florida legislators will support the governor’s budget proposal for APD.” The $36 million funding would be used to enroll individuals who have the most critical needs into the Home and Community-Based Services Medicaid waiver. The waiver is taxpayer funded and provides up to 27 different services to people with developmental disabilities so they may participate in their community.

Governor Scott’s budget proposal also includes about $2.5 million to assist people on the waiver waiting list who have indicated that they want to go to work. The funding will pay for job internships and supported employment job coaches for about 1,000 people with developmental disabilities.

APD supports people with developmental disabilities to live, learn, and work in their communities. The agency annually serves more than 50,000 Floridians with autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, intellectual disabilities, Down syndrome, and Prader-Willi syndrome. For more information about the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, visit APDcares.org or call toll-free 1-866-APD-CARES (1-866-273-2273).